Methods and apparatus for swept-source optical coherence...

Details Methods and apparatus for swept-source optical coherence... Methods and apparatus for swept-source optical coherence...

2011-03-29

2011-03-29

Bolda, Eric (Department: 3663)

Optical: systems and elements

Optical amplifier

Particular active medium

C372S018000, C372S020000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07916387

ABSTRACT:
In one embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) in a laser ring is chosen to provide low polarization-dependent gain (PDG) and a booster semiconductor optical amplifier, outside of the ring, is chosen to provide high polarization-dependent gain. The use of a semiconductor optical amplifier with low polarization-dependent gain nearly eliminates variations in the polarization state of the light at the output of the laser, but does not eliminate the intra-sweep variations in the polarization state at the output of the laser, which can degrade the performance of the SS-OCT system.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5321501 (1994-06-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 5459570 (1995-10-01), Swanson
patent: 5465147 (1995-11-01), Swanson
patent: 5509093 (1996-04-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5748598 (1998-05-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 5784352 (1998-07-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 5956355 (1999-09-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 6111645 (2000-08-01), Tearney et al.
patent: 6134003 (2000-10-01), Tearney et al.
patent: 6160826 (2000-12-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 6191862 (2001-02-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 6282011 (2001-08-01), Tearney et al.
patent: 6421164 (2002-07-01), Tearney et al.
patent: 6445939 (2002-09-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 6485413 (2002-11-01), Boppart
patent: 6501551 (2002-12-01), Tearney et al.
patent: 6552796 (2003-04-01), Magnin et al.
patent: 6564087 (2003-05-01), Pitris et al.
patent: 6570659 (2003-05-01), Schmitt
patent: 6879851 (2005-04-01), McNamara et al.
patent: 6891984 (2005-05-01), Petersen et al.
patent: 7208333 (2007-04-01), Flanders et al.
patent: 7241286 (2007-07-01), Atlas
patent: 7414779 (2008-08-01), Huber et al.
patent: 7415049 (2008-08-01), Flanders et al.
patent: 2004/0215166 (2004-10-01), Atlas
patent: 2005/0201662 (2005-09-01), Petersen et al.
patent: 2005/0238067 (2005-10-01), Choi
patent: 2006/0095065 (2006-05-01), Tanimura et al.
patent: 2006/0187537 (2006-08-01), Huber et al.
patent: 2006/0203859 (2006-09-01), Cable et al.
patent: 2006/0241503 (2006-10-01), Schmitt et al.
patent: 2006/0244973 (2006-11-01), Yun et al.
patent: 2007/0260198 (2007-11-01), Atlas
patent: 2008/0161696 (2008-07-01), Schmitt et al.
patent: 2008/0165366 (2008-07-01), Schmitt et al.
patent: 2005/047813 (2005-05-01), None
patent: 2006/130802 (2006-12-01), None
Chinn SR, Swanson EA, and Fujimoto JG, “Optical coherence tomography using a frequency-tunable optical source,” Opt. Lett., vol. 22, 340-342 (1997).
Choma MA, Satanic MV, Yang C, and Izatt J, “Sensitivity advantage of swept source and Fourier domain optical coherence tomography,” Opt. Express, vol. 11, 2183-2189 (2003).
Choma MA, Hsu K, and Izatt J,“ Swept source optical coherence tomography using an all-fiber 1300 nm ring laser source,” J. Biomed. Optics, vol. 10, p. 044009 (2005).
Huang, David, et al., “Optical Coherence Tomography,” Science, vol. 254, 1991, pp. 1178-1181.
Huber R, Wojtkowski, Taira K, Fujimoto JG, and Hsu K, “Amplified, frequency-swept lasers for frequency domain reflectometry and OCT imaging: design and scaling principles,” Opt. Express, vol. 13, 3513-3528 (2005).
Huber R, Wojtkowski M, and Fujimoto JG, “Fourier Domain Mode Locking (FDML): A new laser operating regime and applications for optical coherence tomography,” Optics Express, vol. 14, pp. 3225-3237 (2006).
Yun Sh, Tearney GJ, Bouma BE, Park BH, de Boer JF, “High-speed spectral domain optical coherence tomography at 1.3 mm wavelength,” Optics Express, vol. 11, pp. 3598-3604 (2003).
International Search Report and Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority for International Application No. PCT/US2008/000341, mailed Jun. 25, 2008 (12 pgs.).

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Methods and apparatus for swept-source optical coherence... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Methods and apparatus for swept-source optical coherence..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Methods and apparatus for swept-source optical coherence... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2733147